


The Long Morning

by crammit



Category: Guiding Light
Genre: F/F, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-22
Updated: 2013-03-22
Packaged: 2017-12-06 02:06:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/730366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crammit/pseuds/crammit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A staff meeting brings about unintended consequences when simmering passions are brought to a boil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Guiding Light and its characters do not belong to me. I'm only borrowing them. But I promise to put them right back where I found them.

"Natalia! I can't find my other sneaker." I hear Emma's high-pitched voice call out to me from the top of the stairs. The edge of panic in her voice making the drumming of her feet somehow sound louder as she runs from room to room.

"Which sneaker? And you know you shouldn't yell down the stairs, sweetie." The well-worn admonishment follows my inquiry and I crinkle my nose as I realize my voice isn't exactly quiet. I make my way through the doorway in the kitchen in time to hear Emma's voice ring out again.

"I'm not yelling!"

"You are yelling, Emma. Natalia said no yelling." Your sleepy voice raises in volume as you shuffle around the bottom of the stairs. Stopping in my tracks, I watch you as you walk with your eyes closed in the general direction of the kitchen.

" _You're_ yelling!" Footsteps tromp through the hallway and a quick thud follows that last outburst. All I can do is smile as this morning ritual plays out. Yet again.

"I'm not…" Resting your hands against the back of the couch, I can see you grit your teeth and you continue in a much quieter tone. "I'm not yelling."

"Now you're not." Her petulant tone serves its purpose and the corner of your mouth lifts in a smile.

Self-consciously adjusting the hem of my pale blue button-down, I continue walking towards you, skirting the couch to stand at the bottom step.

"Emma, honey, did you find it?" At the sound of my voice, your sleepy eyes open and you fix me with a lazy smile. I almost expect a conversation bubble to float above my head, "Gulp" featured prominently in its open space. I'm sure you're just tired. You're just tired and that's why it took a few seconds for the corners of your mouth to curve, slowly warming the green of your eyes.

_Breathe. Breathe. Breathe_.

I smile at you and work really hard to keep that nice smile plastered to my face as I see your eyes dip briefly to take in my outfit for the day. _Skirt_. Why did I wear the skirt? Pants are perfectly acceptable for a budget meeting. Why did I wear this?

Because my eyes are still on you, I notice the blush that tickles your cheeks before you bring your hands to scrub at your face. Oh yeah. _That's_ why I wore the skirt.

I opted to pass on the pantyhose and I am acutely aware of my thighs resting against each other as I prop one heeled foot on the bottom step. I turn my attention towards the top of the stairs but not before I catch you checking out my legs. _Bad, Natalia. Very bad_.

"Emma, you have the sneaker?" I keep my voice level even as I sense your body moving from the couch to stand closer to the stairs.

"No. Yes! Yeah, I have it." Looking up at the ceiling,I hear a bang and the sound of something rolling across the floor and I sincerely wonder where that sneaker could have been.

"Well, Jellybean, get a move on it so you're not late. The bus is almost here." You bring your arms to rest on the banister and pillow your head on the crook of your arm. Your skin must still be warm from sleep because I swear I can feel you despite being separated by a couple of feet.

I shoot a quick glance in your direction and experience a quick flash in my chest as I notice your eyes watching me, their expression unreadable.

Nervously, I tuck a few errant strands of hair behind my ear and swallow as your eyes track my every movement. Some unspoken tension swirls at our feet, rising like heat to dance around our bodies.

I take a breath to say something, though I'm not sure what exactly when Emma comes tearing down the stairs, red sneakers firmly on her little feet.

Flying through the tension between us like a hummingbird, she skids to a stop in front of us, her backpack canting her shoulder to one side.

"Do you have everything now, honey?" You lean away from the banister and kneel in front of Emma, your hands automatically tugging her backpack into place.

Emma kicks her one foot out and shakes it from side to side. "Yup, I've got everything now." Your hands brush against her hair, some maternal instinct driving you to fix her freshly plaited braid. She opens her arms for a hug and a rush of warmth eases its way into my blood as she returns your hug with a loud kiss on the cheek.

_Is there anything more beautiful than a mother with her child?_

The telltale rumbling of an approaching bus propels Emma out of your arms and into mine. I have just enough time to hug her to me and wish her a great day at school before she's running out the door.

You walk past me to stand at the open door, folding one arm around your waist to keep your robe closed tight against the morning chill.

"Bye! I love you! I'm yelling!" Emma's voice carries down the driveway, her laughter following her through the open doors of the school bus.

I can't help the giggle that bubbles out of my mouth and don't even bother to hide my amusement as you turn around and fix me with that patented Olivia Spencer stare.

It doesn't work as your messy hair and still sleepy eyes ruin the effect. I pick up the faint pillow lines marring the soft skin of your cheek and tamp down the urge to brush them away with my fingers.

I fight the need to take a deep breath and sigh. When I woke up this morning, I promised myself that today would be the day that I talked to you. Today would be the day when I finally didn't play things safe anymore and made you talk to me about this thing between us.

_Not that I know what this thing even is_. All I know is that whatever it is, it's driving me crazy. In every way imaginable. And while you are at the center of this confusion, you are also my best friend and I need to talk to my best friend. Even if said best friend is foremost in my dreams, day and night.

With Emma scheduled to stay after-school and help with the decorations for the winter talent show and this being your day off, I thought today was it. D-day. Declaration Day.

But no. Instead I'm here in my skirt suit getting ready to sit through a dull budget meeting. I don't know whether to be relieved or angry and since the thought of actually talking to you makes me feel like I'm about to pass out, I choose to accept the relief.

Either that or I'm going to have to accept the fact that you are standing in front of me with your arms crossed over your chest, pushing the swell of your… _must go_.

Abruptly, I turn from you and grab my suit jacket and overcoat from living room chair. As I pull the suit jacket on, I feel you lift the overcoat behind me, holding it open for me. "Thanks." I smile at you over my shoulder and reach my arms back to slide through the sleeves.

You ease around me and bring your hands to buttons of my coat, buttoning them for me.

You smell like sleep and secrets and I only let you get three buttons down. "Thanks, Olivia but I can get the rest. I've got to get to that budget meeting before Francis allocates all the funds towards for her design department."

I hear you laugh as I bend down to pick up my bag. "Well, it takes money to get those little chocolate wrappers just right."

Swatting at your arm, I grin at you and head towards the door. "I just made some fresh coffee and there's french toast staying warm in the oven. This shouldn't take too long so I can be home by lunch time to make you something to eat."

"Don't worry about me, Natalia. I'm sure I can rustle up some food."

"The fact that you just used the word rustle in a sentence assures that I'll be here by lunch time." You poke me in the shoulder and try to act offended but the laughter in your eyes gives you away.

I reach for the doorknob and pull the door open, bracing myself for the chill waiting to sneak up on me. Shifting my bag to my other hand, I pull you in for a quick embrace, allowing myself these few pitiful seconds of contact.

"You sure you don't want me to come in and handle this?" You tighten your arms once and then release me, leaning to one side against the door.

"Nope. It's just a follow-up meeting really so I'll be fine. It's your day off. Enjoy it. You can go have all the budget meetings you want tomorrow." Navigating the porch stairs, I open my bag and reach inside.

"Ah yeah, no thank you."

"Exactly." Digging the car keys out of my bag, I finally look up to say goodbye to you. The white puffs of smoke floating around my head are suddenly cut off as I take in the sight of you leaning against the door.

Your robe has opened at the top slightly and despite the chill, you're making no move to close it. The only testament to the cold are your nipples, visible beneath the fabric of your robe.

_I have to go. I have to go right now_.

"I'll see you later, Olivia!" _Walk away, Natalia. Walk away._

"Bye, Natalia." Your soft voice trails behind me as I make my way to the car.

It's going to be a long morning.

* * *

"But who doesn't like chocolate?" Francis' incredulous voice peals into the conference room and shocks the pencil from my fingers. _For the fourth time._

The clatter goes unnoticed as the Housekeeping Manager's voice leaps back into the fray. "Have you ever tried to get chocolate stains out of 200 pillowcases? Now, unless you want to allocate some of your precious wrapper funds towards new bedding every week…"

"Jack, there is no need for sarcasm. Listen, if everyone in your department would just be a little more diligent in checking for chocolates that may have fallen, we could avoid that problem. It's not my job to teach your people how to properly change the sheets."

"Wait just a minute, Francis. _You_ listen…"

Keeping half an ear to this current verse of round robin, I drag my pencil lightly over my notepad. Just a few more strokes and voila! A perfect little dragon, eating the bottom half of the fourth row of numbers.

Smiling just a little, I add some eyelashes and make the dragon's mouth just a little bit fuller…a little more… _like you_! Blushing, I cast a quick glance around to see if anyone at the conference table has noticed my detour into fantasy land. Lucky for me, chocolate squares are still getting their due so my drawing is safe from prying eyes.

Very slowly, I pull the notepad closer to me and bring my pencil to hover over the figure, wondering if there were any other details I could add. Not that I could ever actually keep this drawing. I'm pretty sure not even my tuna casserole could soothe your temper at having been compared to a dragon. Even if she is a very lovely dragon.

I shift my legs under the table and use the momentum to let my hair fall over one shoulder. With the semi-privacy of my hair blocking prying eyes, I turn my attention back to my notepad and feel myself flush as I imagine what other parts I can add to this drawing.

_Can female dragons even have breasts?_ The silliness of this thought makes me laugh out loud and as if on cue, eight pairs of eyes instantly track to my face.

I watch as Francis' eyes narrow, her hands fisting on her hips as she turns to face me. "Are you laughing at me?"

"Probably not. But I was." Your lazy drawl pushes into our meeting from your casual perch against the side door and like teetering bowling pins, we all work our bodies around in our chairs to look at you. I'm the last one to turn around and I use those few precious seconds to steady myself. Once I'm reasonably sure that I'm not going to just slide down in my chair to kneel in supplication at your feet, I cross my legs and meet your gaze head on.

In one glance, I take in your black pumps, black pinstriped… _oh my_ …skirt, peach colored camisole, softly curled hair and glossy lips. Your suit jacket is draped over one arm as a testament to the notorious heat generated in this conference room during the colder months.

With winter being so predictably frigid here in Springfield, none of us thought to have it fixed and chose instead to treat it as our sanctuary against the morning temperatures accompanying snow and sleet. As I watch you slowly push away from the door and make your way to the head of the table, I say a little prayer thanking God for making winters so cold and this room so warm.

I hear voices to my left addressing you and, as your mouth is moving, I'm pretty sure you are responding to whatever it is they are saying. I can't bring myself to focus on any of the words flying around my head and have to cough lightly to cover an involuntary moan as your eyes seek mine again. Right before you sit, you wink at me, so quick I might have missed it had I not been staring at you. A lifetime of a second passes before you release my gaze and again focus on everyone else at the table.

"So, Jack. Fill me in." Your businesslike voice triggers the same in people who were barely a few minutes ago almost resorting to playground name-calling.

I should feel guilty about that, I realize. As your assistant, it is my job to keep order and run meetings in your absence exactly as they would run if you were here. Organizing my papers, I scan them briefly and feel a little bit better that there are some actual notes and figures that were written down.

_Sure, a little dragon is eating some of them but I can't really be blamed for that particular doodling excursion_. Honestly, there are only so many arguments about the merits of gold foil covered chocolates vs. green-foil covered mint chocolates that one person can process at a time.

Besides, once Francis went on her tangent about what color green-foil better represented the hotel's true essence, I was a goner. There is only one color green that would be perfect and it's the color of your eyes. That lush green…the color of fresh paint…showcased by those long, exotic lids and gently curling eyelashes and…

"Natalia? Do you have the Q4 projection sheet broken down by department?" My cheeks answer you first and do their part to increase the heat in this conference room. Your face is impassive as you wait for me to answer your request. The only indication that you've caught me daydreaming manifests itself in the tiniest smile playing around the edge of your mouth.

Everyone is waiting expectantly and I can feel my distress grow as the undercurrents swirling between us break for the surface. Feigning a nonchalance that ran screaming from the room the minute I heard your voice, I grab the projection sheet from my pile of papers and rise from my seat, making my way slowly over to the head of the conference table.

There are few hushed discussions going on separately around the table so I don't feel so conspicuous walking to stand next to you. Speaking in a playful tone with the Head Chef seated to your right, you keep me at your side with a light touch of your hand to my wrist.

I freeze as the image of my racing pulse bumping against your fingertips assaults my senses. How could I explain that away? It's not as if you crawled across the table to come get this piece of paper from me, with your skirt getting a little higher with each…

_Get a grip, Natalia!_ With Herculean effort, I put my libido on a time out and force myself to focus on this one simple task: Hand you this piece of paper and then go sit down in my seat. _Not so hard, right?_

I faintly hear you excuse yourself from your current conversation and then your whole body is shifting in the chair, facing me directly.

"Is that for me?" _Is it my imagination or did your voice just get a little deeper?_

"What?" My libido is snapping and snarling at its restraints and it's all my brain can do to come up with that one word question.

Your hand slides from my wrist to take the piece of paper that I'm holding and I force myself to take a step back, my lungs begging for the space to breathe.

I break eye contact first, looking around the conference table with all the fascination of a toddler gazing at Christmas lights. Judging by the dwindling number of papers on the table, I think this meeting is finally starting to wrap up. _Oh thank God!_

I turn to head back to my chair when again, your hand reaches out to stop me. The pressure on my wrist is a little harder this time and instinct has me trying to discreetly pull my arm away from you. I see your eyebrow rise at my challenge and something I can't quite name flashes into your eyes. You release my hand and push the chair back to stand, your eyes daring me to move now that everyone in the room is looking in our direction.

Your fingers start to tap on the paper I handed you and while you run through some last minute items for everyone, I angle my body to better read the whatever it is you are pointing out to me.

_My little dragon_.

My little dragon with eyelashes and full lips and…and…boobs. Closing my eyes briefly, I take a deep breath and wonder at whatever it was that compelled me to not only doodle on the quarterly report but also have that be the one that I presented to Olivia.

On a slow exhale, I open my eyes to find you smirking at me, your eyes flickering between my face and the faces of the other people at the table. Attempting to extinguish my blush with my dimples, I smile wide at you in what I hope is a very professional smile.

A few more instructions and then you set us all free. "This meeting is over. I'd like to thank you all for attending and I hope that everyone has a good rest of your day. I'll see you here tomorrow."

I'm planning on using those first few minutes of a meeting wrap-up to gather my things and slip out of the same side door you came in from. I have so many questions for you, the least of which is what you are even doing here on your day off, but I just need five minutes to myself. Five minutes to figure out how things are slipping a little from my control.

My promise to myself this morning was to talk to you about the things that have been going on between us, whatever those things are. While I don't feel I'm necessarily breaking that promise by making a run for it, the stronger part of myself is pouting.

As I stuff the last few things into my purse and say my good-byes, the earlier image I had of you crawling across the conference room table bursts into my consciousness. _I need to get out of here_.

Holding my breath, I only get two steps from the table to the door before your voice takes my knees out where I stand.

"Natalia? A moment please. If you could shut the door."

Before my brain can get my body moving, your voice calls out again. "You know, on second thought, come sit down. I'll get the door."

Glancing down at my heels, I hesitate briefly, curious as to whether I could actually sprint in these things and dash out of the room before you got to the door. I hear your own heels clicking against the floor as you round the table to head in my direction and a flash of heat dances across my chest.

I turn towards the table, fully prepared to take the seat furthest from wherever you are. Not the most mature decision but seeing as how my five minute reprieve has been derailed, I think I can reconcile myself with this choice.

Swinging my bag behind me, I almost upend the whole thing as I come face to face with you. I hold back a yelp by the slimmest of margins and reach out to steady myself, my fingers gripping the top of one of the chairs.

"Perfect. I'll join you in one minute." Your hand reaches out and your tapered fingers indicate the chair I currently have a death grip on.

Placing my bag back onto the table, I step forward to lower myself into the chair. You don't move so I'm forced to squeeze into the open space between your body and the chair. I let a nervous smile play around my lips as I meet your gaze. The same unreadable expression from earlier this morning is back and I falter in my movement, half of me leaning down toward the chair and the other half leaning away toward the sanctuary of the open door.

With a half smile, you make my decision for me, reaching out to brush against my shoulder, guiding me gently into the chair. The pressure of your hand is light but unmistakable and I'm quickly reminded of what just transpired a couple of minutes ago.

"Don't move, Natalia. I'll be right back." Without another glance, you stride off through the open door, your voice rising in a greeting as you head down the hallway.

_What are you doing?_ Keeping the chair turned so my back faces the door, I give over to my nerves and my desire and drop my head into my hands. Closing my eyes, I concentrate on getting my breathing under control as my brain scrambles to keep up with this morning's events.

If I thought the half-closed robe saying goodbye to me this morning was something, the power ensemble assaulting my senses during that budget meeting is in a category all on its own. Tucking away the question of why you even attended this meeting in the first place, my mind leaps quickly to the image of you walking toward me in that skirt.

How can I be expected to line up my thoughts in regards to this potentially blossoming relationship, ramifications and all, when my libido can so easily come along and swipe everything off of the proverbial table like a playful toddler?

I can't think when you are near me during the best of times but today? For some reason today, my willpower went missing like Emma's red sneaker.

Rubbing my fingertips over my face, I lean back into the chair, crossing my legs and letting my knee rest against the edge of the conference table. I can't remember another time in my life when I was so consumed with thoughts of another person. Even with Nicky, it wasn't like this. I'm not sure I know what that means for me and for the first time in my life, I don't know that I care.

A guilty blush slides along my cheeks and I let my head drop, my hair brushing against the sensitive skin of my overheated face. I watch my fingers play with the bottom button of my shirt and I can feel myself getting more and more nervous.

I'm not really in any position to talk to you about any of this right now. I thought I was, earlier this morning, but there's still too much going on, still too much that I can't seem to wrap my brain around. The fact that I want to wrap myself around you, that I can accept that so easily should bother me more than it does. Shouldn't it?

_Sigh_. I can't do this. Whatever it is that you needed to address with me regarding the budget meeting is going to have to wait. I'll pencil in an appointment for us to meet and just clear your schedule.

Your schedule was clear today and you should have been home. Instead, you're here. Wearing that soft, peach camisole and that fitted black skirt and how am I supposed to have a serious conversation with you when the only thing I can think about it taking my hand and…

_Okay, enough. I'm done_. A trickle of sweat has broken loose from under the collar of my shirt and is making its torturous way down the middle of my back. Resisting the urge to untuck my shirt and fan the edges against my skin, it occurs to me that my excuse has just presented itself. It's just way too hot in here now and we'll just have to go over everything at a later time in a different location.

_Sounds plausible._ In fact, the more I think about it, the better that idea seems. Pulling my hair back into a ponytail, I plant my feet and suddenly freeze in the act of standing.

"Thanks for waiting. I had to clear some time for this conference room so we wouldn't be interrupted but we are all set now." I hear your voice speaking calmly and smoothly but not one word registers.

Two things do sneak through, however, and erupt into my consciousness. The first, the quiet snick of the office door closing, might not have rendered me dumb at most other times in my life. At least, I'd like to think so.

The second sound? That sneaking second is the one that drops my stomach and causes me to spin slowly until I'm facing you.

Your hand is still finishing its motion and I watch helplessly as the lock slides into place.

Nervous laughter bubbles up and spills over and I can feel every nerve ending standing at attention. "What are you doing?"

You continue further into the room, looking straight ahead as you walk past me to gather the papers left by your seat. Bringing my hand to my mouth, I bite my palm softly as I watch you lean over, your skirt tightening and lifting as you reach forward on the table.

Forgive me Father, but _Jesus_! Who would have thought that I'd be sitting here, drooling, over another woman in a skirt? Well, to be fair, not just any woman. _You_. And you are most definitely not just any woman.

In the ten seconds it takes for you to organize the papers and turn back to me, I feel a loosening inside me. Never in my life, at any point, would I ever believe that the feelings I could develop for a man could be the same feelings I could develop for a woman. It just never happened. Never even crossed my mind. Why would it? But here you are, very definitively tossing all those notions out the window. I'm not sure when the shift happened and I know I'll have to think about it and more than likely, have to talk to you about it. I may have put my intentions to talk to you on the hold for the time being, but they are still there.

Right now though, right now my curiosity is piqued and I'm content to see what exactly you have in mind with this impromptu meeting. The flutter in my stomach lets me know that whatever it is, I'm in it with you.

Dropping my hand to my lap, I smile at you as acceptance settles like a warm blanket around me. Okay, more like a heating blanket since with acceptance comes knowledge. Or at least, thirst for knowledge. And I'm pretty sure I could drown in you right now. Happily.

Quietly, I watch as you push the chair next to me away from the table and lean back against the edge, crossing your legs at the ankles. Very deliberately, you place the front page of the quarterly report in front of me, tapping a manicured fingernail against my dragon.

Leaning back, I fake a nonchalance I don't feel and calmly meet your stare with a smile. Your eyes trace my face briefly and I feel my smile tremble at the edges. Holding your weight on one hand, you lean forward into my personal space and I can actually feel the strain of the effort it's taking me to not look down to where your camisole is drifting forward from your chest.

_Eyes…eyes…eyes_.

Your lips curl in a patient smile and your voice comes out softly, the steel resting just below the surface of your polite tone.

"Explain this. Please."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A staff meeting brings about unintended consequences when simmering passions are brought to a boil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See Chapter 1 for Author's Notes

Explain the dragon. _Okay, I can do that. Right? I can do that._

_I don't want to do that._

Clearing my throat, I lean forward and peek at the page. Feigning ignorance, I speak through a serene smile. "You want me to go over the 4th quarter numbers?"

You're not smiling back and for the first time, I feel a slight tension start to creep across my body. You lean a little closer to me and I actually grit my teeth against the effort to not look at the expanse of skin above the neckline of your camisole. Keeping your eyes on mine, you reach one finger over and tap directly over the image of the dragon.

"Oh. You want me to talk about the thing _eating_ the 4th quarter numbers?"

"Desperately."

That one word coming from you short circuits my brain and I lose the tentative hold I had on my self-control. Against my will, I feel my eyes dip down to caress the shadows and curves of the top of your breasts. The glance lasts only a split second but I feel the impact sprint from my brain to tumble across my stomach and land skidding across my inner thighs.

Dragging my gaze back up, I force myself to look you right in the eyes. Eyes that remind me of lush woods illuminated by moonlight. A place for fairies and secrets and… _whoa_. Where the hell is that coming from? That's it. No more Nora Roberts trilogies before bed. Maybe that explains the dragon? It could, if I really think abou…

"Natalia?"

Maybe I _should_ actually explain the doodle. Taking a deep breath, I try to explain away the dragon with the boobs. "Okay see, I was sitting there taking notes on all the talking points that the departments were going over when Francis started in about her chocolates."

I pause, hoping for an encouraging smile since Francis is a frequent source of amusement for us, but your face gives me nothing. Swallowing, I continue along, picking my way through the potential minefield of this story.

"So then Jack starts in about how the unwanted chocolate pieces tend to melt on the linens and how much of a pain in the ass it is constantly clean. They were going back and forth for so long, I just kept thinking that I wish something would come along and swoop them away from here so I wouldn't have to listen to them anymore."

At that, your lips twitch but all you do is incline your head for me to continue so I do. "I don't know. I just started doodling and before I knew it, tada! Dragon."

"That's it?"

"Yup." _Well, that wasn't that bad. Here I was thinking I was in some kind of trouble._

"Why does the dragon have these full lips and eyelashes?" You pick the page up and gesture with it in my general direction.

_Crap_. "Um, well, Francis was the one doing most of the talking so I probably was subconsciously drawing a girl dragon because I was hearing her voice."

You make a small non-committal sound and I let myself relax for a second.

"And the boobs?" At that word, my traitorous eyes drop once more to your chest and with a slightly audible groan, I lean back further in my chair.

Bringing my eyes to the slightly safer choice of the report you hold in your hand, I shrug and smile as if to say "oh, same reason."

At this point, I think I was prepared for you to laugh off the matter. At worst, I think I expected you to scold me lightly for having doodled on the quarterly report. I can safely say that I never could have anticipated your actual reaction.

Abruptly, you toss the paper sideways across the table. As I watch, it slides across the laminated surface before coming to a fluttering end, the corner of one side hanging over the edge of the table.

Tentatively, I spare a glance at your face and feel the breath clog in my lungs at the look suffusing your features. I can't tell whether you are angry or something else and it's that something else that has me ready to bolt from my chair.

Before I can even move, you place one of your hands on the back of my chair and use the other to brace your weight on the table in front of me. Leaning down, you bring your lips close to my ear and the tiny, naughty part of me is thrilled that I put my hair back before you returned to the room.

"I'm not stupid, Natalia. Do you think I'm stupid?" Your voice is barely audible and it takes me a few seconds to process what you've just asked me.

_What? Do I think you're stupid? Of course I don't think you're stupid_. "What? Olivia, I…"

"That's me, isn't it?" As you speak, my eyes are glued to the hand resting in front of me and I feel a distinct tightening in my stomach as I watch your fingers flex against the table.

Part of me feels silly even engaging in this conversation. Clearly, you're not a dragon and I don't see what the big deal is anyway.

"Natalia, answer me." _Did you just nuzzle my cheek_? Tensing my hands on the edge of the table, I go to push back, anything to get some space between us. You're not talking about just the drawing anymore and you're too close for me to have this conversation with you right now.

Before I can even move back, your hand slams down from the back of the chair to hold the armrest, effectively keeping the chair in place. Slowly, you turn the chair until I'm facing your body. Releasing your hold on the armrest, you curl your hands around the edge of the table, placing one foot at the base of the chair. A subtle movement but I get your message loud and clear.

"Olivia."

You interrupt me, your voice softer this time. "Natalia, just answer me. Why did you draw that?"

Suddenly, the absurdity of this situation knocks the wind from me. For weeks, we've been ducking and weaving around each other, neither one of us taking the chance on a knockout shot. Hell, neither one of us even pulled a jab. And here I am getting called out because my subconscious bled over into a stupid doodle. Is it no wonder? How long can a person carry something like this around with them? It's too much.

Angry, I push back from the table, sending the chair flying back into the wall behind me. Two more rivulets of sweat stream down my back and that's the last straw.

"You know what, Olivia? What does it matter? It's a stupid dragon. Obviously, you're not a dragon." Pacing in front of you, I indicate your body with an angry slash of my hand. "So what if it had eyelashes and lipstick and breasts? Why do you think that everything I do has something to do with you? Maybe I just wanted to draw a stupid dragon with stupid boobs on your stupid quarterly report!"

The last is said barely a foot from you and I can feel my chest heaving with anger and emotions I really don't care to name. All this time, all this time I've been wondering how to approach you, what sweet words I could say so we could talk about this wonderful thing building between us. Yet here I am, on the verge of yelling my feelings at you, angry and sweaty in some locked conference room. _Just perfect_.

Your eyes haven't left my face. In fact, the only indication you've heard anything I've said is the white-knuckled grip you have on the table. A few seconds pass and only the harsh sound of my breathing can be heard. One second, two seconds, three seconds more and still nothing from you.

"Forget it." I can feel the tingling of tears behind my eyes and my only thought is to be away from you when that happens. Before I can even turn to go, your hands release the table, opening wide to push your body forward. I have half a second to absorb the shock of your fingers grabbing the front of my shirt before I feel you start tugging.

Without a word, your fingers tighten, bunching the fabric and drawing me steadily closer to you.

"Forget it? I'd rather not."

"Don't." I grab your wrists and let the threat of tears evaporate in the heat of my anger. An anger that builds as I realize that my body is betraying me, holding you to me rather than trying to remove your hands from my shirt. "I'm telling you to forget it."

You straighten to your full height and tighten your grip. "No. We need to talk about this."

"Talk about what? Let me go." _Now_ you want to talk about this? Well, that's great. You've locked me into this stifling conference room and _now_ it's convenient for you to want to talk? I don't think so.

I pull back and honestly try to remove your hands from my shirt. My back has started sweating in earnest and the back of my shirt is starting to stick to my skin. Underneath my hands, I can feel the corded muscles of your wrist flexing as you keep pulling on my shirt and my discomfort is quickly partnering with my anger. "I mean it, Olivia. Let me go. I'm sorry I doodled on the report but you've addressed it with me and now we're done. I'm done."

"I'm not done."

"I don't care what you are right now. Get your hands off of me because I'm leaving." Despite my anger, I allow myself a few seconds to revel in the look of you right now. The muscles in your arms are flexed in your effort to hold on to my shirt and your eyes are the color of summer thunderstorms about to crash on the horizon. Your mouth is parted and as I watch, a drop of sweat rolls from your temple to drop from your jaw onto the edge of your camisole.

_God, I need to leave._

You take a short breath and for the first time, I hear the leading edge of anger in your voice. "I said I'm not done. We _are_ going to talk about this."

On strength borne of desperation, I wrench my shirt away from your hands, barely hearing the sound of two buttons hitting the table. My hands are clenched at my sides and I can feel my muscles trembling, anger and desire fighting their way across the landscape of my body.

"What? Talk about what, Olivia?" I let my exasperation show in hopes of goading you into being angry. If you're angry, then I can storm out of here and we'll be on some sort of even footing. Because right now, something is shifting and I'm not sure I can handle whatever it is when it settles.

"We need to talk about…I need to…" You pause and everything inside me burns, peeling away denial to reveal the raw awareness below.

"What?" My question sounds like a thunderclap in the quiet room and I see the flash of intent in your eyes before you even move.

"This." Your hands find my half-open shirt again and this time there is no fighting against your strength as you bring me flush against your body. The momentum of my body hitting yours knocks you back against the conference table and I'm forced to brace my hands on either side of your hips.

Without hesitation, your mouth finds mine and the shock of your kiss is quickly overridden by pure lust punching its way through my system. This is no tender meeting of new lovers kissing for the first time, all soft discovery and building desire.

I'm not sure I have the words for what this is and all I can do is struggle to keep up as your tongue sweeps across my lips. Your hands leave my shirt to grab the nape of my neck roughly, pulling me impossibly closer to you. Your tongue starts a familiar rhythm against mine and as I answer you stroke for stroke, my body starts to respond with primal instinct.

Bringing my hands to your hips, I let you deepen the kiss, groaning as the taste of your mouth wars with the feeling of your thighs pressing against me. I can feel your skirt lifting a little higher as my body instinctively starts to move and suddenly, it occurs to me where we are. At work, in a conference room with who knows how many people outside the door. _What are we doing?_

I pull back from the kiss and push away from your body. Your mouth is bruised and I watch as you lick your lips, realizing that you're tasting our kiss as you do so. I look down and see where your skirt is wrinkled from my hands and I can actually feel the throbbing between my legs intensify.

"Natalia…" Your husky voice almost brings me to my knees and I have to force myself to try and remember to breathe.

"Wait, just wait." I hold my hand out to you to stop whatever you were going to say.

"No." You brush aside my request as easily as you brush aside my hand. Reaching one hand behind you, you reach the other to wrap around my ponytail and pull me into your embrace one more. The kiss is softer this time and the heat of your mouth is causing an answering flare low in my stomach. Your lips suck softly on my bottom lip and your teeth bite down lightly as I become a quivering mass of moans and panting breaths.

I bring my hands to the muscles running along your spine, pressing against the dip in your lower back. I can feel the sweat through your camisole and I tug awkwardly at the hem, almost desperate to feel your skin against my fingertips. Your skin is slick and I lay my palms flat against your back, sliding back and forth, letting each pass bring me closer and closer to the waistband of your skirt.

You groan as just the tips of my fingertips brush against the top of your panties and your hips tilt towards me, silently inviting me to press lower. My thumb brushes against the zipper and very slowly, I start to pull it down.

Breaking the kiss, you trail your hands over my shoulders to the buttons of my shirt, opening each one slowly until it hangs open between us. My hands still against your hips as I watch you looking at me, love and want so clear in your eyes I wonder how I could have missed it before.

Using just your fingertips, you softly trace the drops of sweat that are running from my collarbone to my stomach. I can't breathe as my stomach tenses, trapping all the air in my lungs. You look up and keep your eyes locked on mine as you slide your fingertips from my stomach to cup my breasts in your hands. Your thumbs brush against my nipples and I feel them harden even further under your touch.

Arching my back, I press myself harder into your hands and have to look away from the intensity of your stare. Looking down, I watch my hands as they glide over your hips and continue down to the edge of your skirt. I can feel the soft skin of your thighs where they press against me and I want more. I need to feel more of you.

As I start to pull your skirt up, your hands go to the tops of my shoulders, sliding under my shirt to push my bra straps down my shoulders. Leaning forward, you bring your mouth to one shoulder, tasting my skin in long, slow strokes of your tongue.

Using my thumbs, I bunch your skirt around your waist and rest my hands on the top of your warm thighs. Groaning, you turn your head into my neck, resting your lips against the pulse point there as my name comes out on a soft exhalation.

I take a deep breath and my fingers tighten involuntarily. Underneath the smell of your perfume and lotion, blending delicately with the smell of clean sweat on our bodies, is the smell of your arousal. Closing my eyes, I let the excitement of the unknown course through my body, welcoming the gathering wetness I can feel between my legs.

Fantasies could never compare to the real thing and the realization that all my weeks of thinking about you and thinking about us, in this way, is coming true makes my chest feel tight. A feeling that intensifies as you lean away from me and start to raise my own skirt higher on my thighs.

Everything falls away, the heat, the conference room, everything as you grab my hips and pull me against you. The first touch of the softness of your inner thighs sliding against mine destroys any previous sexual experience that I could have labeled as erotic.

My eyes fly up and fall into the intimacy of your gaze as you use your hands to move my hips against you. "You're wet. I can feel you. Is this what you wanted?"

Modesty and embarrassment make me hesitate for only moment before need takes over. This is you touching me, you making me feel these incredible things and I will never be embarrassed about that.

"Yes." I'm barely able to force that through my lips as my stomach tightens.

"I've wanted this too. All this time…" Your low voice trails off as you lean forward and claim my lips in another searing kiss. My hips take over the rhythm as your hands make their way back to my breasts, your fingers providing relief to my aching nipples.

I can feel my wetness through my underwear where it presses against your thigh and I shift my leg slightly, shuddering as I feel your warm center press firmly against me. _You are wet too_. To think that what's happening to my body is happening to yours, just the thought that of that is driving me crazy with want for you.

It's the only way to explain how we are here, our skirts pushed against our waist, my shirt open, kissing and grinding against the conference table. I'm sweating and I can taste your own saltiness on your skin as I trail my lips across your jaw and kiss your throat. I don't want to stop and yet…I don't want our first time to be here, rushed and frantic in some conference room.

What I have in mind is going to take longer than the 15 minutes we've spent here and if I don't stop right now, all those plans are going to go to waste.

Even with the familiar tingling starting to creep along deep inside my belly, I force myself to stop moving against you. "Olivia, wait…stop. Not here."

Your hands cup my face and I can see the confusion in your eyes. "What? Why? Please…please."

_God, that one word and I hesitate. How good would it feel to just let you keep moving like that, pressing your warm_ …No. Not here. Dammit, not here.

Gently, I kiss your pouting lips, soothing with my mouth as I pull your skirt down and settle my own against my legs. "If we're going to do this…"

"Oh, we are going to do this." Your rushed declaration makes me smile and I press a quick kiss to your cheek.

"When we do this, I want it to be at home. Our home." I start buttoning my shirt, frowning slightly as I realize I'm two buttons short. _It doesn't matter. I don't plan on wearing this thing much longer anyway_. "I want you naked and I really want…"

I'm blushing too hard to continue. It turns out I can be embarrassed about this.

"What, Natalia? What do you want?"

I lean forward and whisper in your ear, closing my eyes as the words leave my mouth. "I want to feel you inside me."

You don't say a word. Not one word. Suddenly, I find my hand in yours and you're pulling me across the room, giving me barely enough time to reach down and grab my bag and your suit jacket.

Unlocking the door, you pull me in front of you and press me hard against the door, kissing me deeply and then instantly breaking the kiss. You smile and caress my face, reaching down to pull the door open. Letting go of my hand, you leave the room, pausing just outside in the hallway.

"Thank you for your time, Natalia. Please schedule a meeting so we can follow up on the things we've discussed." You reach forward and grab your jacket from my arm, casually holding it in front of you to hide most of the wrinkles now adorning your skirt. With a grin, you turn on your heel and head down the hallway.

Taking a deep breath, I go to turn the light off and shut the door when the edge of the report captures my attention. Making sure you're gone, I dash back into the room and stuff the sheet of paper into my bag.

I settle the bag on my shoulder and flicking the light switch, leave the conference room. I get the car keys out of my bag and smile.

_I wonder if I can beat you home_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A staff meeting brings about unintended consequences when simmering passions are brought to a boil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See Chapter 1 for Author's Notes

I spot your car in the driveway as I pull up to the farmhouse and experience a brief feeling of disappointment that I didn't get here before you. Very brief however, as other feelings start to crowd in around me.

After skirting the issue for so long and then finally reconciling myself to the idea of talking to you about it, I'm not sure I know how to feel about what happened at The Beacon earlier. Shifting my legs, I know, however, how my body feels about what happened.

I can feel myself blushing just thinking about kissing you and remembering how it felt to have you move against me. Closing my eyes, a small sound of distress breaks free of my chest as I recall, vividly, what I said to you right before we left the conference room.

Fumbling my way out of the car, I let the cool mid-morning air brush against my overheated skin as I walk slowly to the front door. Here, in the bright sunshine with the solid reality of our home looming in front of me, I feel nerves start to skitter across my body. It was easy enough to skip right over talking when your body was warm and pressing against my hips, your mouth moving along my… _okay, not helping_.

I hesitate at the front door, resting my forehead against the cold wood. Maybe I should talk to you first. I jumped in with sleeping Frank and we both know how well that turned out. I'm not sure I'm ready to take that leap again. With you. A woman. _God_.

Taking a few steadying breaths, I square my shoulders and get ready to walk through the door. Before I can put my key in the lock, the door swings open and there you are. _You are breathtaking_. Smiling, you reach a hand out and gently pull me through the threshold. Using my other hand, I close the door behind me and drop my bag on the floor.

You tangle your fingers loosely with mine and lead me to the living room, turning around until you are leaning up against the back of the couch. Grabbing my other hand, you rub your thumbs slowly against the backs of my fingers.

"Hi." Your smile and your voice are shy and I immediately feel some of the tension ease from my body.

"Hi."

Releasing my hands, you slide your hands around my waist and lock them around my lower back. "Fancy meeting you here. I'm glad you could clear your schedule."

"Well, I had nothing really better to do so…" I trail off as your hands tighten and pull me closer to your body, the tops of your thighs bumping against mine. "I figured I could at least come see what you wanted."

The last word is said on a low moan as your thumbs have started to press against the muscles in my back, slowly massaging the rest of my tension away. Your smile is soft and engaging and I bring my hands to cup your jaw, leaning up to place a quick kiss on your lips.

"That's so considerate of you, Natalia. But I really don't want to keep you from any other pressing engagements."

"It's okay." Taking a deep breath, I slide my hands slowly down your neck to rest just above the swell of your breasts. "You can keep me."

Your eyes search mine for a long moment, understanding blooming beautifully across your features. "I can, huh?"

I can feel your heart pounding beneath my fingertips and, for some reason, this calms me. It feels so right to be here in your arms like this. Moving my hips, I settle myself closer between your legs. "Yes. If you want me."

" _If_?" Your hands leave my back and reach between us to grab my hands again. Placing a wet kiss to each palm, you push your hips against me and ease me back until I am pressed up against the side of the staircase. "I want you."

"Right now." Holding my hands at my sides, you brush your nose against the skin below my jaw.

"Tomorrow." Your open mouth cruises over my chin and I can feel my breathing start to increase.

"And the day after that." Slowly, your lips slide across my own and I whimper into the kiss. Your mouth is warm and your tongue is soft as it glides against mine. My arms ache to bring you closer to me but the more I try to tug them from your grasp, the tighter your hold gets.

"Olivia." Pleading, I break the kiss and try again to pull my hands from yours. "Let me touch you."

Your eyes flutter closed briefly at my request but you still don't release my hands. "Not yet. There's something I've been dying to do first."

Without another word, you lean into me and ravish my mouth, your kisses setting off a very distinct tingling between my legs. There were many days I wondered what it would be like to be kissed by you, to really be kissed by you. Nothing in my experience could have prepared me for this. Just your tongue sliding against mine is making me wetter than I can ever remember being and I can feel my body starting to strain against being held immobile.

Right before I think I can't take it anymore, you bring my hands to the railing, curling my fingers around the balusters. "Don't let go."

Reflex has me tightening my fingers and the sharp shock of desire has me keeping my arms there. "But, your bed is…"

"Upstairs, I know." Your lips curve into a smile and I swallow hard as your hands trail down my upraised arms, waiting one charged moment before grabbing my shirt and yanking it open, sending the remaining buttons to scatter across the floor.

I see the hunger in your eyes and the modest part of me, ingrained since my teenage years, tries one more time to move things to a more respectable location. "Olivia, why don't we take this to your bedroom? It's the middle of the day. Anyone could decide to stop by and…"

"No." Your voice is husky and almost frantic as you undo the front clasp of my bra. "Here first. I can't wait anymore. Here first…please. I can't breathe for wanting you, Natalia" The last part is muffled against my skin as you place open mouthed kisses against my neck.

Your hands race up my stomach and claim my breasts, your palms rough against my nipples. _You're driving me crazy_. "Kiss me." My lips are seeking yours before I even finish my request and my chest heaves as your hands knead my breasts in time with your tongue.

I hear the creak of the wood as my hands struggle to keep their grip, instinct pulling them towards you. Your hands leave my chest and wrap themselves around my fingers, allowing your body to press completely against me. Again, my system is jolted by the feel of your thighs, muscles flexing beneath soft skin as you start to rock your hips.

My skirt is preventing you from truly being against me and I groan in frustration. You pull back and search my face, the blush on your cheeks darkening the green of your eyes. "What is it?"

"I can't feel you. Take this off of me." Moving my hips hard against you, I beg you with my body, obeying your earlier plea to keep holding on to the stairs.

Pushing back from my body, you pull the zipper down, your fingertips slipping below my waistband. Kneeling before me, you slide the skirt and my underwear down, guiding my legs until you can toss them to the side.

Looking down my body, I feel my insides clench, my center throbbing in time with my racing heartbeat. My shirt is hanging open, the edges of my open bra barely visible against the blue fabric, and I'm naked from the waist down. All of that might have been enough to make my breath catch in my throat as a feeling of wantonness floats like a drug through my system.

But that's not what has me ready to crawl out of my skin right now. Right now, the image of you kneeling before me, fully clothed, your gaze raking over my body like a rough caress, that's what has me ready to explode.

_I may pull each baluster from the railing before you even touch me_.

You're breathing through your mouth and I watch, helpless, as your warm hands slide over my hips. Your thumbs press against my hipbones and I'm finding it harder and harder to keep watching you. I have the overwhelming urge to just close my eyes and let your touch surprise me. But, to close my eyes means I would miss the way you look as you touch me and I really don't want to miss that.

"Natalia, the things I want to do to you." Your fingers grip my waist hard and I feel another flood of wetness as I realize you've reached your breaking point. I've wanted this for so long and you've been waiting for this for so long and I just don't think I can wait any longer.

"Do it." Your eyes find mine instantly and I arch my back in surrender, pushing my center closer to you. "Do it...do it…Olivia, I want you to…" Whatever I was going to say is cut off as a low groan rumbles through my chest.

Without warning, you push up from your kneeling position, one hand going to the baluster between my hands while the either brushes along the soft hair between my legs, made damp by my desire. Keeping your eyes on mine, you slowly slide your middle finger through my wetness.

Back and forth, teasing my hips to follow the rhythm you're setting, you move your hand against me. Turning my head, I press my lips against your bicep, biting lightly as the tip of your finger gets closer and closer to my center.

Tilting my hips, I invite you touch me harder and meeting your eyes, I watch you as you finally slide inside me. Your warm breath washes over my face as you exhale hard, a line of concentration forming along your brow. Moving slowly, I rock my hips against your finger, learning to accept the feel of you pressing deep inside me.

Unable to hold on any longer, I drop my hands to your shoulders, sliding one hand to grab tightly to your forearm. Letting my head fall back, I release the moan I was trying to hold back as I feel your lips make their way across my chest. I can hear the sound of you moving inside me and soon it's joined by the soft sucking sounds of your mouth moving against my nipples.

_I'm not going to make it. Nothing can feel this good for this long and not kill you_. Your mouth is hot against my nipples and as I continue to move my hips, I can feel my wetness against my inner thighs. _Incredible_.

You raise your head and bring your lips to brush against mine. "Is this okay?" Your question throws me considering I'm barely holding on to my sanity but it hits me that this is the first time for you too. A wave of tenderness rushes through my need and I kiss you softly, tightening my grip on your forearm.

"Yes, Olivia." Sliding my fingers down your arm, I press against your wrist, forcing your palm to brush harder against the most sensitive part of me. "Yes, baby. Like this…just like this."

Keeping my eyes open, I watch as you bring me pleasure. Your body is moving in perfect counterpoint to mine and the sight of you still in your skirt suit, your finger inside me and my wetness sliding against your hand is just the push I needed to tumble headfirst into the sharp drop of my orgasm. The release is so quick and hard that I can't even make a sound. My body tenses and pulses and, trembling, I curl my body into you, soft groans and grunts being released against the side of your neck.

Your hand drops from the stairs to hold the back of my head against you, your other hand slowing and finally coming to rest, cupping me softly as you support my weight against the stairs. Wrapping my arms around you, I try to get my breathing under control, letting the aftershocks ripple across my stomach.

Leaning back, I kiss the corner of your mouth, smiling into the kiss as you turn your head so I can kiss the other side. "Olivia…"

"I know."

"No, you don't. You really don't." I bring my hand to brush the hair back from your face, struck again by your beauty. Running my thumb across your bottom lip, I grin at you. "But you will."

"Yeah?" A hint of shyness coats that word as it falls in a breathless whisper from your lips. Keeping my thumb pressed against your mouth, I push down gently and open your lips to my kiss. I let my tongue sweep inside and burn away any lingering doubts rolling around that pretty head of yours.

I know you better than you know yourself and despite the passion you just showed for me, there's a part of you that feels unworthy of accepting my passion in return. It's why you had to be in control all the time today.

_Oh, Olivia, I'm going to enjoy every second of breaking that control and making you accept this beautiful thing between us._

I kiss you a little deeper and a little faster and accept the force of your body as you push me back against the wall again. Everywhere our bodies touch, I can feel the silky fabric of your clothing and I'm desperate to know what it will feel like to have you naked and pressed against me.

Bracing one of my hands behind me, I push off of the wall with enough force to make you stumble back into the back of the couch. Your mouth is bruised and swollen and your eyes are questioning my abrupt action. I smile at you and step closer, brushing the backs of my fingers against the hardened peaks of your breasts.

"We need to go upstairs to your bedroom." While I talk, I grab the bottom of your camisole and, never breaking eye contact, lift it up and over your head. Breathless, I let my eyes wander across your newly exposed flesh, lingering over your bra-encased breasts. I can see your nipples through the pale fabric of your bra and I stifle a moan. Remembering how it felt to have your mouth on mine, I'm overwhelmed at the thought that I'll be able to do that to you soon. Licking my lips, I wonder what it will feel like when I bring my mouth to your…

"Natalia." My name sounds dangerously close to begging and looking into your eyes, I'm shocked at the amount of desire aimed in my direction. Your hands are fisted at your sides and I can sense the turmoil bubbling just beneath the surface. I know what kind of passionate person you are and I don't want you holding anything back from me. Everything has always been take, take, take with you.

_It's time you were taken_.

"Upstairs." Indicating the stairs with a small nod of my head, I look you right in the eye and continue. "I want you naked, Olivia. Naked and open, just for me."

I don't know where these words are coming from but as I watch the pulse pound against the side of your neck, I let go of my modesty and embrace the sexual tension buzzing around us right now. The power of it hums across my skin like a live wire, feeding the passion within me.

Reaching forward, I grab your hand and pull you behind me. Stepping over my skirt, I turn and start to head up the stairs. It registers, suddenly, that I am only wearing my open button-down and bra and that you are only in your bra and skirt.

Here we are, in the middle of the morning, half dressed and heading upstairs to make love. Snapping quickly on the heels of that thought, a sharp tingling spreads from my chest down over my stomach to settle within my wetness. Preoccupied with this feeling, I don't feel my foot catch the front of one of the steps until my hands are braced in front of me to catch my fall and your hands are splayed across my waist, trying to keep me upright.

For a second, neither one of us move and I let out a small relieved laugh, glad that I didn't hurt myself falling against the steps. Bent at the waist, I go to push off with my hands, determined to get you upstairs and onto that bed.

Suddenly, I feel your hands start to slide very slowly around my waist to the back of my shirt, lifting it higher until I feel cool air against the skin of my lower back. I hear you groan behind me and my stomach drops, every nerve ending in my body fluttering awake as the vulnerability of my position hits me.

_Oh God_. A surge of embarrassed panic pushes me to try and turn around but I only get as far as standing up before your voice stops me. "You are so fucking beautiful." That one rough word is enough to have me freeze, acknowledging the shift of control with a moan as your hands grip my shoulders.

Gently, your fingers curl around the open collar of my button-down, sliding shirt and bra down my arms. I hear the snapping of your own bra and the delicious slide of fabric against skin. The sound of clothing dropping over the railing reaches my ears and I can feel myself starting to tremble.

To be standing in front of you like this but unable to see you is wreaking havoc with my nerves. I take a breath to speak but lose it violently as your fingernails run lightly from the tips of my shoulder blades to the backs of my thighs. "You look so good, Natalia. You don't know how many days I watched you at work and wondered what it would be like to undress you and see you the way I'm seeing you now."

With my chin falling towards my chest, I have no choice but to reach out and brace my hands against the wall and the railing, as your words wash over me. Closing my eyes, I give myself over to the sensations pulsing through my body, biting my lip as your hands glide low on my waist.

Without shame, I let go of my quest for control and surrender to you.

I feel your warm breath seconds before I feel your lips gently kiss the dip in my lower back. My hips jerk in reflex and your hands tighten their hold. Keeping me immobile as your mouth slides further down, kissing across the swell of my ass and ending with a soft bite to the side of my right hip.

Your tongue sneaks out to retrace your path, lingering over the lowest point of my back. Each pass of your tongue is causing a rhythmic tightening between my legs and my hips start to rock within the grip of your hands, helplessly seeking more contact.

You are moaning louder than I am and I can feel each exhalation as you brush your cheek across my lower back, pausing to turn your head and bite lightly, marking my right hip again.

Soothing the mark with soft passes of your thumb, you use your other hand to turn me gently on the steps to face you. Taking a shuddering breath, I open my eyes to meet yours and see desire, dark and dangerous, swirling in those green depths. Without looking away, you step up until you are flush against my body and the sensation of your warm chest pressed against my nipples pulls a quick, low moan from me.

Freeing my hair from its ponytail, your nails scrape across the base of my skull, tangling my hair between your fingers. I wrap my arms around your waist and despite the intensity of the moment, I place a soft kiss against your lips. I've never known a need like this for another person before and even while the power of it races like fire through my veins, I feel the warmth of it settle inside me.

_Love_. Like tinder catching and flaring, my feelings for you flicker and burn, illuminating the path my heart has been blindly following all along.

Softly and slowly, I kiss you. My lips sliding along the wetness generated by our tongues, the taste of you filling my head with curiosity. Your hands cup the back of my head and the kiss starts to go from gentle to not so gentle within seconds.

Reaching one hand back, I grab your wrist and bring your hand between us. Entwining our fingers, I place one last kiss on your lips. Leaning close to you, I nuzzle the side of your neck and bring my lips to your ear, letting my tongue trace its delicate curve.

"Olivia?"

You shiver against me and I can feel the stirrings of unbridled lust start to awaken again. "Yeah?"

Turning around, I walk up the stairs, holding your hand behind me. "We're going upstairs now."

"Why?" I hear the playfulness in your tone and it makes me smile. Stopping in front of your bedroom, I push the door open and pull you into the room. Letting go of your hand, I walk back to the door and close it softly.

"I said I wanted you on your bed, naked and open. And…" I stop, walking over to stand directly in front of you.

"And what?"

"You're going to give that to me. Right. Now."

I let my hands caress the side of your hips as I make my way to the zipper of your skirt. I'm distracted by feel of your breasts against me as my arms go around your waist so it takes a few seconds for what you just said to register.

I pause with your skirt halfway down your waist. "What did you just say?"

You grin at me and take advantage of my hesitation to shimmy out of your skirt. Sitting back on the edge of the bed in just your underwear, you cross your ankles and lean back on your hands. "I don't know if I want to give it to you. What kind of girl do you think I am anyway?"

_Oh, you want to play_. I let my eyes look you over from head to toe, lingering on your mouth, your full breasts, the apex of your thighs, even your pretty feet. Walking forward, I move until I am straddling your legs, placing my hands on your shoulders for balance. I feel a tug of triumph as your eyes narrow and your breathing picks up.

"I know what kind of girl you are, Ms. Spencer." Your smile grows wider and deepens the crinkles around your eyes that I love so much. "More importantly, I know that you do want to give yourself to me. Ask me how I know."

You lean a little closer to my body and start to run your hands from my knee to my hips. _Trying to distract me. God…it's working_. Taking a deep breath, I try to keep control of the situation when all I want to do is rub against you like a cat.

Bringing my hands to the side of your face, I let my thumbs trace your bottom lip. Your cheeks feel warm against my palms and I smile at the blush my touch is igniting. Pursing my lips, I kiss you flush against your mouth, holding you to me to increase the contact. I trail my lips across your cheek to whisper in your ear.

"Olivia, ask me how I know that right now, you want to be naked with my hands all over you."

Your hands grip my hips hard and I feel your warm breath against my neck as you turn your head into my shoulder but you don't still answer me.

Pressing my knees to the bed, I push up and straddle your waist, groaning as your lips automatically brush across the tops of my breasts. I run my hands across the lightly defined muscles in your upper back and shoulders, bringing my lips to your ear one more time.

"Ask me. Unless that's really not what you want and I'll stop. We can stop and I'll just go downstairs and make us some lunch. Do you want that?" I slow the touch of my hands on your back and drop them to my side.

You almost unseat me as your hands push my shoulders back, sliding roughly across my neck to tangle in my hair. I have enough time to grab your wrists before your mouth is savaging mine, your teeth and tongue and lips burning like a fever against me. Over and over your tongue pushes against mine, the grip against my hair almost painful. I welcome the pain as your kiss threatens to shatter me where I sit.

Suddenly, you break the kiss and I'm left panting, my hands holding tight to your forearms. Your eyes search my face intently and I'm laid bare in that moment. You press a hard kiss against my lips and then your hands are on my shoulders, pulling me down to you as you fall back to the bed.

We both groan as our nipples brush against each other. Your pupils are dilated, making the green of your eyes dark with need. "Natalia, I want you. I want you…I want this. You're driving me crazy. Tell me."

While you spoke, your hips started to press against my center, rocking harder with each word falling from your lips. I rest one hand above your head and brace most of my weight on that arm. Sliding my body to one side, I keep my thigh pressed against you and let my other hand trail over your warm skin.

My eyes are drawn to your nipples, hardening further under my gaze. Delaying my answer to you, I lean down and tentatively kiss just the tip of your nipple, gauging your reaction before I move any further. With one hand pressing hard against the middle of my back and your other hand grabbing the nape of my neck, I have my answer and licking my lips, I pull your nipple into my mouth.

Your response is immediate and your moan drowns out my own. I feel an ache flare low in my stomach as the reality of what I'm doing hits me. Closing my eyes, I lose myself in the sensation of sucking you, my other hand sliding to knead your other breast, feeling the nipple pebble and press against my palm. Your skin feels so soft against my lips and I can't believe how hard your nipples are.

With a final lick, I pull my mouth away from your chest and slide my hands slowly down your stomach, feeling a surge of pure female satisfaction as your muscles tremble against my hand. "I know that you want this…"

"Yes?" Your voice is barely audible, as your whole body tenses, waiting for me.

"Because I know…" Resting my cheek against your chest, I look down to where my hand is hovering right above the waistband of your underwear.

"What?" Urgent, the word leaves your mouth and you punctuate your question by digging your nails into my shoulder.

Sliding my fingers under the damp fabric, I bring my fingers to rest against your dark curls. "How wet you are right now."

I take a deep breath and willingly cross that line from friend to lover and slip my fingers through your wetness, gasping at how hot you feel against my fingertips.

The events of this morning have caught up to you so there is no gentle exploration, no time to adequately process how soft and swollen you are or how slick and wet it feels inside you. There is only you holding my wrist, your fingers on the back of mine, your hips rocking, rocking frantically against the joined pressure of my palm against your tight bundle of nerves.

My arm straining, I push up to hover above you, watching as your beautiful face is transformed by pleasure. Locking my hand, I let your hips dictate the pace, groaning deeply as I feel your legs open wider. Your underwear is keeping our hands pressed tight against you and I can feel the tension building in my forearm. I start to pull my hand back to remove that final barrier from having you totally naked but your fingers tighten against me.

"No…no…please. Don't stop. I'm close." Your voice is raspy and pleading and pushes aside my own discomfort as I redouble my efforts, matching you groan for groan as your hips start to move faster.

Your back is arched and your head is thrown back against the pillow but your eyes track to mine as I whisper urgently to you. "This is what I wanted. This, right here, with you. This is all I ever wanted." The revelation causes a twinge somewhere in my subconscious but I force it away for now. Now is not the time to think about the consequences of loving you like this.

Now? Now is the time for… _this._

Kissing you deeply, I keep my mouth engaged with yours as your wetness coats both of our hands and your hips strain for release. Pulsing, I can feel you pulling against my fingers and if it's even possible, you get wetter and then, on a shocked gasp, you're pulling me tight against you. With your mouth buried against my neck, your orgasm crashes over you in waves of shuddering breaths, groans and soft profanities.

Next to hearing my son's first cry, this is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. The intimacy of the moment is overwhelming as my body is pressed tight to you, our hands resting against your pulsing center, your thighs trembling and rocking gently still.

With great reluctance, I slide my fingers from inside you and place my thigh against you, ranging myself above your body. Your hands settle on my waist and for a few moments, all we can do is look at each other.

A smile breaks through the contemplative look on your face and you pull me down for a tender kiss. "I know."

Grinning back, I reward you with a longer kiss this time. "Now you do."

"You know what else I know?" You trail your hands soothingly over my back and I stretch like a cat under your ministrations.

"What?"

"If you don't feed me the lunch you promised me, I'm going to starve. Those numbers just weren't enough."

I pause for a moment, searching your face for a clue to alleviate my confusion. "Numbers?"

You just keep stroking my back and grinning at me when suddenly it hits me. "Olivia!"

Your laughter rings out in the room and somewhere downstairs, a dragon smiles in response.


End file.
